On Friday, the swearing-in ceremony for more than 170 basic guard conscripts took place in Weißenkirchen in der Wachau. The military commander of Vienna, Brigadier General Kurt Wagner, the military commander of Lower Austria, Brigadier General Martin Jawurek, and the mayor of Weißenkirchen, Christian Geppner, were delighted to welcome Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner to the ceremonial swearing-in of the young soldiers.
“By taking the oath, conscripts not only assume responsibility for themselves, but also for the Armed Forces and the security of the Republic of Austria. Our conscripts are the basis of our army. Without basic military service, there are no cadre soldiers and no militia. Making basic military service and the militia more attractive is therefore not only part of our government program, but is essential for a modern and sustainable armed forces. For the Armed Forces, the protection of the Austrian state has priority, as does the protection of its population, the protection of our neutrality and, above all, the protection of all of us. And the Austrian Armed Forces are our guarantee of security. I wish the young soldiers who were sworn in today all the best for the future, an exciting period of service and much soldierly happiness,” said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner.
Around 170 recruits took their oath of allegiance amidst the beautiful natural backdrop of the Wachau. Beforehand, there was a concert by the guard music and at the end of the ceremony, the Grand Tattoo was presented. In beautiful weather by the Danube and in the presence of their families, it was an unforgettable experience for the soldiers. They have successfully completed their basic training in recent weeks and are now ready to serve Austria and its people in a variety of roles. For the second time since 2015, a swearing-in ceremony took place in Weißenkirchen. The municipality of Weißenkirchen and the Guard have been working closely together on flood protection since 2012. Cooperation with the volunteer fire department in the maintenance and use of the mobile flood protection elements in the disaster protection camp in Weißenkirchen is therefore also a core area of training.
The Guard is one of the most important military units in Vienna. The Guard supports the Federal President, representatives of the Federal Government and public authorities during their protocol obligations as well as during state visits and receptions of foreign ambassadors or chiefs of staff. In addition to these representative tasks, all Guards soldiers are also highly trained infantrymen and can be deployed like any fighter battalion of the Austrian Armed Forces. This requires a high level of training, team spirit and the ability to react quickly to new tasks or conditions. When deployed, the guardsmen are primarily responsible for area, escort and object protection.
